


What We've Become

by konfoz



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, College AU, F/M, Halloween AU, Kindergarten Teacher AU, One Shot Collection, Single Parent AU, supermarket au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-15
Updated: 2018-07-08
Packaged: 2019-02-02 23:46:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12736761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/konfoz/pseuds/konfoz
Summary: a collection of one shots dedicated to my everlasting love for Reylo





	1. Halloween!AU

**Author's Note:**

> I would just like to thank @deathbyhook on tumblr for beta reading my first chapter. It meant so much to me, so please check her out!
> 
> And yes...I know Halloween has been done for 2 weeks, but I never got to upload this AU in time :p
> 
> *
> 
> Halloween!AU

Rey is a strategist, it’s what she's good at. Residing in the Jakku Orphanage proved that survival of the fittest was essential to living a semi-tolerable life, so Rey learned the ins and outs of the place during her time there until the age of eighteen.

She applied those skills to her life after, whether it be her job at The Resistance, the biggest aerospace manufacturer in Coruscant, or to something as simple as choosing the right brand of cat litter for BB. With Halloween right around the corner, Rey knew it was time to bust out her fool-proof plan:

In order to maximize on the amount of candy they can get in one evening, they'd have to leave at exactly 8:20--late enough that most of the smaller children have already gone home, but early enough that the older people haven't gone to sleep yet. Costumes had to be comfortable and easy to move around in, so that meant no heels or dresses with trains. Her pillowcase rested on the living room couch, ready to be filled to the brim with sugary treats. She even had the bowl of mini Snickers and Kit-Kats next to her front door, so Rose could answer and give out candy while they were out. 

Yet it was 8:05, and Finn hadn't come back from his boyfriend’s place from when he left earlier that morning. Rey had his pirate costume laid out on her bed, looking void and lifeless. In between answering the door for trick-or-treaters, she was casting anxious looks at the clock above the fireplace mantel. Even the smell of the pumpkin bread that her housemate made didn’t doing anything to calm her nerves.

Her phone rang, and she almost toppled over the decorative skeleton that was sitting on one of the open island stools. Rose gave her a look, but the brunette ignored her as she read Finn’s name on the screen.

“Where are you?”

“Rey, it's Poe.”

She paused and blinked. “Hey what's up? Why are you answering Finn’s phone?” In the background, Rey heard someone groan.

“We have a little bit of an issue here,” the boyfriend stated. Rey guessed that he was rubbing the back of his neck. “Finn ate some bad seafood for lunch and he's not going to be able to make it.” Finn groaned again, and Poe cursed over the line, “Shit he just threw up again. I'm going to have to call you back.” With that, the line cut off.

Rey stood there for a second, staring at her phone. Noticing her reaction, Rose commented, “What's the matter?”

After explaining the situation, Rose sighed. “That's too bad. Guess you'll have to go trick-or-treating alone then.”

“No- I shouldn't go at all anymore. I mean Finn sounded miserable,” she walks over to the closet to grab a coat, “I should go check up on him.”

“Well there's nothing you can really do. Poe is taking care of him, and you've been in the Halloween spirit since August ended.”

Halloween was never celebrated in the orphanage. It was considered a delicacy to have even one piece of chocolate every now and then, so Rey fell in love with the holiday once she was actually able to partake in it.

“But--”

“Do you think Finn would be happy if he knew that you skipped Halloween to take care of him? Just go to a couple houses and bring some candy back for Finn too, so he can have it once he's feeling better.”

Rey hesitated one arm already in a sleeve, “I guess I could do one street.”

Rose turned to pull out the pumpkin bread out of the oven. “Sounds good. If you're going to only one, you should hit up First Order Lane. They always have the best candy. Like the full on giant candy bars.”

With each word, Rey's eyes widened. Grabbing her pillowcase and make-shift costume, she dashed out of the house, almost knocking over a little cowgirl and ninja in the process.

She has passed by First Order Lane on her daily runs many times before, but it’s about a mile away from her house. Parking would be atrocious if what Rose said about the type of candy they give out was true, so Rey wrestled on her costume over her worn jeans and black v-neck, and continued the trek to the renowned neighborhood.

As she passed by her block, she noticed children dressed up and carrying pails of candy and other goodies. Most of the younger children seemed to be done, as their baskets were filled to the brim. She cut across a yard filled with spiderwebs and fake gravestones, and crossed the dimly lit street. Even though it was dark out, the moon obscured by the ominous clouds that seemed fitting for the occasion, there were plenty of trick-or-treaters milling about. Rey picked up her pace, her feet slapping on the concrete pavement.

Ten minutes later, Rey turned on to First Order Lane. Her eyes widened at the plethora of teenagers that milled around, some holding bags of candy and some drinking what she guessed was not soda.

She stalked up to the first house she saw--a large two-story stone house with smoke machines in the front yard. Admiring the animatronic witch at the porch, she knocked and waited for someone to answer. An elderly woman wearing cat ears answered, and Rey’s eyes zeroed in on the box of full-size candy bars. Jackpot.

“Trick-or-treat!”

After snagging a Snickers, she went across the line of houses to receive Kit-Kat bars, Twix, Halloween-shaped pretzel bags, and even a whole caramel apple.

Pulling up to the last house in the cul de sac, her eyebrows furrowed at the lack of decor. Compared to the other mansions, this one only had a crudely carved pumpkin that looked more deformed than anything. Yet, what stood in front of her looked like it belonged in the 12th century. The gothic-style mansion stretched so far up that the closer she got to the door, Rey had to crane her neck to see the extent of it. Black columns stood high and mighty, supporting the overarching windows. The imposing structure had the likes of a typical haunted mansion.

The only light was the one that illuminated the front porch. Chills ran up Rey’s spine, and she chanted “For Finn” multiple times to steel herself so she can knock on the fiberglass door. Not even a second after she made contact, she jumped at the sound of a dog barking inside.

It took a few seconds for the door to open, but she smelled him before her eyes took in the stranger in front of her. He was the human epitome of spiced apples, but that was the only thing about him that seemed inviting. The man towered over her, and Rey considered herself to be tall for a woman. He wore black socks, and black skinny jeans to match his thick black turtleneck sweater. Rey quickly skimmed past his lips to settle on his dark eyes and flowing shoulder-length hair.

The time it took for Rey to realize she was staring, the man had already quirked up an eyebrow. “What an...original costume.”

It was flat and said sarcastically, which made Rey snap out of her thoughts and bristle slightly. It was supposed to be ironic and cheap: a white sheet with two holes cut for her eyes. Reminded of her mission, she held out her pillowcase. “Trick-or-treat.”

His eyes took in her form. “You’re about the size of a teenager but sound like a grown woman.” He pursed his lips. “How old are you?”

Rey’s eyes flashed at the height comment, but promptly answered back, “22 years.”

The stranger leaned against the edge of the door, holding it open just enough that Rey could see his entire body, but not the contents of the lavish house. “Aren’t you a bit old to be trick-or-treating?” His voice was toneless and condescending, making Rey tense.

“Aren’t you a bit old to be going for the depressed artist look?” She bit back.

His eyes narrowed into slits. “You must be incredibly lonely if you’re an adult and celebrating this stupid holiday by yourself. Too poor to afford candy on your own?” He paused, then muttered under his breath, “Or a decent costume?”

Frozen in outrage, Rey reeled in her resentment of the man’s rude disposition in front of her. His comments were hitting too close to home. “You speak of loneliness yet here you are: alone on a Saturday night, probably sipping on some excessively overpriced scotch, giving out candy to little kids as your form of entertainment to hide the crippling sense of self-deprecation.”

He stood up straighter and sneered, “Might I remind you that you’re asking ME for the candy?”

Rey ripped off her sheet, “And might I remind you that this is no way to talk to a lady?”

The man blinked, and this time, fully took in her appearance. Rey’s skin was flushed, her hair sticking up every which way from the lack of sheet covering her head, and her eyes were blazing. Something changed in his expression, but his cold eyes held hers when he apologized with a stony, “I’m sorry.”

Her hand clenched the sheet, and she shook her head. “You can keep your candy.” She turned away stiffly and started to head down the porch, before she turned back around. His eyes never strayed from her form. “A piece of advice? Maybe you could be a little nicer to random strangers. Have a pleasant night.” With that, she stormed off in the direction of her house.

* * * * *

Chewing on a handful of Skittles angrily, Rey slouched on the couch the more she thought about the encounter that ruined her night. How dare he? How could someone be so rude? He had his porch light on and a decoration in his yard. If he didn’t want any trick-or-treaters, why put out anything? And insulting her costume no less! Just because he lives in a five-story mansion doesn’t mean that he could make fun of (in her opinion) very funny costume. Making sure to firmly push the comments of loneliness from her mind, she continued to inwardly curse the existence of the unnamed person.

She wondered if he acted the same way to the children that knocked on his door, poking fun at a naive little Power Ranger or fairy. It wouldn’t surprise her if he did, based on the way he acted towards her.

As if sensing her mood, Rose was smart enough to stay away. However, she did place a slice of pumpkin bread on a plastic Halloween-themed plate on the coffee table in front of her. Snatching up the dessert, Rey took a bite and checked her phone after it buzzed in her pocket. She took it out to find a picture of Finn fast asleep in bed, with Poe giving her a thumbs-up. Her mood improved from that picture alone.

* * * * *

Rey’s eyes slid over all of Finn’s coworkers until they landed on her friend, typing a document on his computer while sipping on some tea. When she walked over and tapped on his shoulder after throwing a smile at his deskmate, she shook the plastic bag of candy in her hand as a smile overtook his face. “You better be grateful.”

His chair swiveled to face her, and he leaned back to stretch in his seat. “You’re actually a lifesaver.”

“I think there might be a couple of those in there, now that you mention it.”

“Rose told me you hit the motherload this time.”

“I didn’t get to go to a bunch of houses, but the ones I went to had amazing candy. Speaking of, I need to tell you about the last one--”

“Finn, we discussed the visitor policy the last time your boyfriend came to visit you during working hours,” a voice cut in smoothly, addressing the man the brunette was speaking to.

Before she could recognize the deep and suave voice, Rey turned around to come face-to-face with the man who had been the bane of her weekend. He still wore all black, yet this time, he was decked out in a suit and tie. A look of horror was plastered on his face, which she was sure mirrored her own as well.

After a beat of stunned silence, Finn spoke up hesitantly, “Mr. Ren, this is Rey Kenobi. Rey, this is Mr. Kylo Ren, my boss.”

Rey was the first to break out of her astonishment, and her face slid into a cold mask. “We’ve met briefly.”

Kylo Ren shook his head to remind himself of his surroundings, but that didn’t stop his gaze from upraising her form. Rather than the lousy sheet she wore during their first encounter, Rey was wearing a tailored, white button down with a dark green pleated skirt that kissed her knees. Her work outfit gave her a chic and professional vibe, but it was still her style if her chunky thrift-store necklace and worn white canvas shoes were anything to go by. Suddenly self-conscious, Rey crossed her arms.  
“Yes, we met a couple days ago when she was out during Halloween.” Ren’s eyes zeroed in on the plastic bag of goodies that Rey was still holding, “Presumably, she must have been collecting candy for you.”

While Finn attempted to explain the situation, Rey and Ren were holding a staring contest, yet neither one of them knew where to look. To Rey, he looked even more handsome than he had the night they met, but remembering the nastiness of their confrontation, she unknowingly interrupted her friend, “My lunch break is almost over. I’ll see you later Finn.” She speed walked out of the doors that led to the hallway elevator, leaving a confused Finn and speechless Ren in her wake.

In her rush to get out and put as much space between her and Kylo Ren as possible, Rey didn’t even give Finn the bag. She cursed her stupidity as the elevator descended to the main floor of the lobby.

As soon as she stepped out, Rey almost ran into her best friend’s boss, who was doubled-over from exertion. She stopped and waited as he held out an arm to keep her from reaching the doors to exit.

“What do you want, Mr. Ren?” She didn’t know what else to say, given the fact that he clearly bounded down a few floors in order to talk to her. The receptionist and employees coming into the building all stopped and stared at the duo, making Rey’s face color.

After he caught his breath, he stood up to his full height. “Ms. Kenobi, I just wanted to apologize for what happened on Halloween night.”

This was clearly unexpected, and everyone in the lobby was listening in on their conversation now. If anything, she believed that he was going to use the opportunity to hurdle more insults at her face. Distrustful, Rey tried to push past him, “Consider yourself forgiven.”

He stepped in her way, and let out a sigh, “Please?”

Not knowing what else to do, Rey moved back to face him. He let out another breath and ran his hand down his face, the other cocked on his hip. “I was extremely impolite to you that night. I never meant to hurt your feelings, or come off the way I did; I was surprised, to say the least, yet I know that it does not excuse my behavior,” his eyes held hers, and Rey could have sworn she read regret in them. “I acted like a complete and utter ass.”

She opened her mouth to respond, but he held out a hand to stop her, “If there’s anything that I can do to make it up to you, it would be much appreciated,” he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.

It took a few seconds for her to respond, but Rey gave him a tentative smile, “You could possibly buy me a coffee sometime.”

His eyes lit up, “Do you expect me to bring you a candy bar too?” His demeanor changed into a playful one, “Because that could be arranged.”


	2. Teacher!Rey & Single Father!Ren

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Teacher!Rey & Single Father!Ren

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long to write, I don't have a set posting schedule.
> 
> ~I HAVE NOT YET SEEN TLJ SO PLEASE PLEASE NO SPOILERS! IVE BEEN AVOIDING TUMBLR FOR THE PAST MONTH AS I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SEE IT FOR ANOTHER WEEK AT LEAST~
> 
> This has not been edited :-)

“Jessie, don’t run with scissors!” Rey chastised the little blonde, plucking the item out of her grubby hands.

“Sorry Ms. Rey.” She stared up at her teacher, her green eyes wide and innocent.

Rey could feel her steely expression crumbling. With a small nudge back to the girl’s seat, she prompted her, “Go on now, it’s time to clean up our masterpieces.”

The classroom was in a state of disarray; the carpeted floor was littered with scraps of colored construction paper, along with broken crayons and discarded glue sticks. The kindergarten teacher decided that this was the last time she would ever let these kids be within ten feet of glitter, as it was all over the hands of the children and caught onto their clothes. On the bright side, at least all the students behaved well.

Rey felt a tug on the back of her striped dress. Her turn was met with a hazel gaze, eyes fanned with naturally full lashes that would make anyone envious. However, the teacher ripped her gaze away and took in the form of one of her students.

Lyanna Solo was covered head-to-toe in red craft glitter.

Her raven black hair was sparkling under the yellow light of the classroom, as the specs reflected off and contrasted with the paleness of her skin. The “Daddy’s Little Girl” top was almost completely obscured by the amount of sheer glitter that covered it, and her pink tutu looked like it belonged to a circus performer rather than a five-year old.

Going into full teacher mode, Rey ushered the little one to the bathroom and began to try and remove as much glitter as she can. Grabbing a towel, she scrubbed soap and warm water on her skin, and remembering the other room filled with other kids, she instructed Lyanna on how to properly wash the cloth with the promise of returning.

Twenty minutes later, all the children have gone home. All except little Lyanna. This was good news to Rey, as she had not finished cleaning the girl up.

“How did you make such a mess?” The kindergarten teacher mumbled under her breath.

Oblivious to her mentor’s suffering, the girl happily replied, “I wanted to shine like the biggest star in the sky!”

Rey chuckled, and continued to wipe the rag down her face to avoid any glitter particles from entering her eyes. “Well, I’m sure in your father’s eyes, you already do.”  
She didn’t know much about the girl’s parents, other than the fact that they went through a messy divorce and her dad gained custody. Gossip travels fast through the blabbering kindergarten moms, and Rey couldn’t help but eavesdrop a few times.

It seemed that those pesky moms had not lied about the attractiveness of the single father either.

She has only spoken to Mr. Solo once, and it was when he picked Lyanna up early after she threw up from eating too many Goldfish crackers. He had arrived as if he had just rollen out of bed, his hair sticking up every which way and the buttons of his shirt buttoned incorrectly.

Even then she barely managed a few choice words before he whisked his daughter away to the doctor’s office, his face flushed and his eyes avoiding hers.

After that, it’s been the family butler that’s been picking up the girl--a redhead named Hux--and he hasn’t said a word to Rey at all. He just stands in front of the black town car, waiting for Lyanna at the end of the day with a permanent scowl etched upon his sharp features.

“My daddy is picking me up. He promised to go to the animal store to buy a doggie.”

Frowning, the woman looked down at her watch. He was late then. She plastered a smile on her face, and continued to wipe away the glitter “Oh a dog! What will you name it?”

“I want a boy, so I can name him Peanut Butter o-or, or Moose!” She chittered excitingly.

“Those are fabulous names.”

When Rey brought Lyanna out back into the main classroom, her father was already there. He seemed to have been there for quite a while, as he was sitting awkwardly in one of the tiny plastic chairs. When they walked out of the bathroom together, he leapt to his feet.

“One of the other kindergarten teachers told me to wait for you to clean up Lyanna.”

Rey didn’t know how Finn managed to find out about this fiasco, but that wasn’t her main priority.

“I tried to get out as much of the glitter as I could, but you’re going to need to hose her down to get the rest off. Even then, you’ll still find some months later,” joked Rey, standing in front of the man with his daughter to her side.

He stared at the kindergarten teacher for a moment, an unreadable expression on his face. Then, he looked down at his daughter, and his stance changed completely. He crouched down to her height and pulled the little girl to him, then proceeded to kiss her forehead. “You are such a troublemaker.”

Lyanna giggled, and with Mr. Solo distracted, Rey examined his appearance. It seemed like he had just gotten off work, as he was still in what she could guess was his standard work attire--a white button down with a black blazer and slacks. She had to rip her gaze away from the patch of skin that was exposed from the top two buttons being undone. Her eyes landed on the gelled back hair, and traveled down his aristocratic face to land on his own eyes, eyes that were holding her own.

He looked away first, smoothing down Lyanna’s wild tufts of hair that she obviously inherited from him. Standing up, he grabbed his daughter’s hand, nodded once, and walked out the door with nothing less than a goodbye.

* * * * *

The next day, Rey was sitting at her desk while her students indulged in some mandatory reading time. It was Friday, which meant early out and a easy day for her students. However, every time Rey looked up from her lesson plan, she saw Lyanna sneaking peeks at her over her picture book. Amused at the antics of the girl, it wasn’t until the end of school day that brought it up to her when they waited for her ride home outside.

“Why did you keep looking at me during reading time today?”

Silence fell over the pair, until the girl said, “Daddy always talks about Ms. Rey.”

Surprise washed over her, and she furrowed her brows. “What do you mean sweetie?”

Oblivious to the caution coloring her teacher’s tone, she replied, “He calls you pretty.”

Rey didn’t know how to take this news, but before she could reply, Mr. Solo’s car pulled up to the curb. He climbed out to open the back door for his daughter, and Rey helped to secure her into her booster seat.

When she pulled away and turned, Mr. Solo was right there with a quiet, “Thank you”.

She nodded, still unsure of how to take the sudden news bestowed upon her by the little girl in the car. After shutting the door, he turned back around. Before he could open the door so he could leave, Rey blurted out, “Your daughter told me some interesting things.”

“Oh?” He raised his eyebrows, imploring her to continue.

Suddenly shy, she clasped her hands behind her back and stared at the ground. “She might have mentioned how you seemed to have talked about me once or twice.”

She wouldn’t look at him, but she could sense an anxious shift in the air. “What did Lyanna say?”

Rey’s cheeks were tinted pink, and she raised a hand to move a strand of hair behind her ear. It was a nervous habit. “Apparently,” she paused, “You called me pretty.”

Now she looked up, and found his intense eyes boring into hers. He must have read that the conversation was leaning in his favor, so he answered with a newfound air of confidence, “I did, because I know beauty where I see it.”

Rey’s mouth parted in surprise. He was flirting with her.

His eyes flickered to her lips, and before Rey could utter another word, he said, “How about I take you out to dinner tonight? I mean I must meet the lady who has completely enraptured both me and my daughter.”

Now, Rey opened and closed her mouth like a fish out of water. She hasn’t been on a date in so long, but now the father of her student was asking her out; a father who has probably been on dates with women much more impressive than her, much more well rounded and beautiful.

Yet, he was asking her out.

However, underneath the bold bravado of the man in front of her, Rey read vulnerability in his expression.

With a small and bashful smile, Rey answered, “I would love to. Shall I bring the red glitter?”

Rey’s heart leapt when he heartily laughed in response.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave suggestions for one shots below, or send me a message on my tumblr, @fandom-cats


	3. Supermarket!AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Supermarket!AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> suggested by levi2225 on tumblr:
> 
> "Reaching for the same item in the supermarket or farmer’s market AU”
> 
> except I put my own spin to it ;)

The buzzing of the fridges and the slapping of flip flops on the discolored tiles of the convenience store did little to take Rey’s mind off of the issue at hand.

 

It was a usual Thursday night for the college student. Because she doesn’t have any Friday classes, Rey’s free schedule allows her to indulge in what she considers delicacies: a home-cooked meal and Netflix marathon. Without any responsibilities the next day--Friday is also her day off work--she tends to sleep late and wake up in the afternoon the next day. In other words, it is a stress-free environment where Rey can finally take a break from the constant assignments and essays she deals with in her classes.

 

Until her seemingly perfect night was ruined by Mother Nature.

 

She was sprawled on her couch in her pajamas, her hand stuffed into a box of Girl Scouts thin mints after devouring a large plate of chicken parmesan. Finn had already gone to sleep, and Rose was staying at her sister’s for the week. Alone in her living room, rewatching episodes of the  _ Office _ , she was living the life. It was when she took a quick bathroom break that Rey knew. She dug through the cabinet under the sink to pull out a pad, but when her hand skimmed the plastic package, her mood sank.

 

There was only one left, and it was the smallest size. She groaned, and promptly did what she had to do after slamming the cabinet shut.

 

How did she forgot to pick up more on her last trip to the pharmacy? Her annoyance flared, and stomping back into the living room, she picked up her phone off of the coffee table to check the time.

 

1:12 A.M.

 

All the pharmacies and grocery stores in her small town would be closed by now. The only 7-Eleven in the area shut down shortly after a roach infestation, so where was she supposed to buy pads this early in the morning?

 

Her quest for feminine products led her to the only open store in a five mile radius. It was a stroke of genius, really, to remember that gas station places probably stocked a limited supply of items that didn’t fall under the food or drink category. The closest one, a bust up AMPM, was the closest thing she could find in her dingy town. At least it was better than nothing.

 

So that’s where she currently is, perusing the aisles of the store. There’s a rancid smell in the air, and Rey doesn’t know whether to attribute it to the stale hot dogs spinning on the metal carousel or the typical smell that accompanies a gas station. The only other person in here with her is a tall man with dark hair, discounting the scrawny worker whose eyes are trained on a sudoku puzzle behind a counter filled with cigarettes.

 

Adorned in the same pajamas she lounged around in at home--Rey was too lazy to change out of them--and some flips flops, she blows the loose strands of her ponytail out of her face to continue looking for the pads. At this point she’s starting to feel irritable, probably because of her period, and because of how much time it’s taking her to find the damned things. The store is not that big, but the overwhelming shelves of chips and cookies starts to make her feel dizzy.

 

She knows she hits the right section when candy bars and pre-packaged donuts turn into five dollar earbuds and over-the-counter medication. Her eyes sweep hungrily over the items, too focused on her quest to realize that there’s someone coming down the opposite side of the aisle. When she finally spots what she’s looking for, she realizes there’s only one small box left. It’ll have to do; she can pick up more when Target opens later that morning.

 

Yet when her hand reaches for the box, another does the same. Their hands bump, and Rey jumps away as the man does too. It’s the other guy in the store.

 

Her brows furrow, and the man stands up to his full height. He’s utterly  _ massive _ , but Rey is not intimidated easily. They begin to stare the other down.

 

“I need that,” he says promptly, his eyes flickering towards the pads on the shelf.

 

“I do too,” she shoots back, indignation rising quickly. “I found the aisle first.”

 

“You don’t understand,” his voice monotone and body language stiff, “I’ve been looking for them.”

 

Aggravated, she scoffs. “I don’t understand?” She gestures to herself, “I’m the girl here. What does a guy even need with pads?”

 

Now he’s looking everywhere but her, the ears poking out from under his long hair turning red. He mumbles something under his breath.

 

“What?”

 

“They’re for my mom.”

 

Silence. He continues on, “They’re for my mom, okay? Now step out of the way. It’s late and I don’t have the patience to deal with you.”

 

“Why the hell do you deserve them? My problem is more immediate.”

 

“You’re being rude here, miss, just calm down.”   
  


Rey’s fingers dig into her palms, “Calm down? You never tell a girl to calm down.” With more strength than she knows she possesses, she grabs the front of the man’s t-shirt and pulls him down to her level, “I’m the one who literally has blood coming out of her body, so drop the subject before I make some come out of yours.”

 

She releases him, and he takes a step back. Even though she knows she’s overreacting, Rey could care less at the moment. Before he can react, she swipes the box from the shelf and bolts to the counter.

 

Even though he’s huge, he moves  _ fast _ . Cutting her off in the next aisle over, he holds his hands up when she skids to a stop, shielding the pads from his view as if he’s going to rip them out of her hands.

 

Approaching her as if she’s a timid animal, his hands still up, he tries to reason with her, “Listen: Let’s think logically about this. How about I pay for it and you give me half of what’s in the box?” Realizing she was contemplating it, he adds desperately, “Please?”

 

Rey guesses that he’s probably going to get his ass whooped if he actually is retrieving these for his mom, and if she’s in the same boat as Rey. Taking pity on the man, she nods and he moved out of the way for her so she can head to the register.

 

The worker didn’t seem to hear their scuffle, or care, so he rings up the pads while Rey stands to the side with her arms crossed. Handing some bills to the worker, the guy--whose name is still unknown--stands close to her, almost as if he’s afraid Rey is going to grab the box off of the counter and make a run for it.

 

After ringing them up, Rey follows the man outside, her eyes trained on the plastic bag he’s swinging. They stand in front of each other, and a shiver passes over her. He hands her the box, giving her the choice whether to leave with the pads or stay.

 

“I’m doing this for your mother,” she states, and frowns a bit, “If they even are for your mother.”   
  


He chuckles a bit, his ears turning red again, “Trust me, I wouldn’t do this for anyone but her.” He pauses, contemplating, “Well, maybe for a girlfriend.”

 

“Word of advice,” she says, opening the box of pads and stuffing about half into his awaiting palm, “You better go on these runs for your girlfriend if she asks for it. I think this is the type of thing that really separates a boy from a man.” A little respect colors her tone, her past anger forgotten.

 

After realizing her words, it was Rey’s turn for her face to flame up. She sounds like she’s flirting with him.

 

It’s a good thing he seems to be into it, because his eyes begin to roam over her. Rey internally winces at her fashion choice for the night.

 

“Maybe this man can tame that little spitfire personality of yours.”

 

“I’d like to see you try,” she responds playfully, and holds out the unoccupied hand, “I’m Rey.”

 

He takes it and gives her a hint of a smile, “Ben. Ben Solo.”


	4. College!AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> College!AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized that I've made Rey and Ben argue in almost every single one of my one shots, so I promise that this will be the last one for a while :P
> 
> Wasn't entirely happy with this but I wanted to post something -(._.)-

“Tonight is going to be different.”

 

It was a mantra that she repeated to herself every night, regardless of the fact that it usually never came true. 

 

Rey sighed, throwing her arms out from underneath the covers. In her exasperation to sleep, she tossed and turned for another 10 minutes before she gave an aggravated growl. Insomnia is not a welcome figure in the life of a college student. Balancing work with studies is incredibly taxing and with little-to-no sleep at night, it made it just  _ that  _ much harder to concentrate during the day.

 

It is an ever-present adversary in her life, leeching off her energy and her time. She knew that she probably needed some sort professional help but vehemently refused it, much to Finn’s disappointment. The stereotype of a broke college student isn’t actually so far off from the truth.

 

Rey flipped on her stomach, hair splayed haphazardly over her face and she breathed out a breath of air. She turned over to her left to star at the electronic clock on her nightstand:

 

3:03 A.M.

 

With a mental roll of her eyes, she sat up to fluff her pillows for the fiftieth time and suddenly found comfort.

 

Yes. 

 

Tonight she would fall asleep in peace. 

 

Out of nowhere a bout of fatigue hit Rey, and she imagined all the stress and tension flowing out of her body. Just before she was going to slip out of consciousness, she heard knocks on her door.

 

_ Ignore it.  _

 

The sound stopped, but she could hear shuffling from the other side of the door as she began to wake. She could feel her drowsiness slipping away from her as the knocking started up again.

 

_ No! _

 

Realizing that the perpetrator wasn’t going to be deterred and that all traces of sleep have vanished, she threw the covers off and stormed to the door. Maybe she should have covered up a little more, considering that she was only wearing an oversized  _ Starkiller _ band t-shirt without a bra. However, at the moment, Rey was too annoyed to care.

 

She threw open the door and was met face-to-face with a chest. The scent of alcohol permeated from the hulking figure in front of her, which caused her to scrunch up her nose.

 

It was none other than Phasma’s best friend, the guy who grinds her gears to no extent, Ben Solo.

 

And he was  _ drunk _ .

 

His eyes blearily regarded her, and his mouth stretched into a smile as he swayed precariously on his feet.

 

Rey crossed her arms, put off by the interruption to her sleep, “Hello Ben.”

 

He blinked slowly. Even hunched over his figure towered over hers, and Rey couldn’t help it as her eyes took him in. The dim light from the hallway illuminated his body, making it look like he was bathed in a yellow halo. It was obvious that he had come back from a kickback or a party, but she had no idea why he decided to pay her a visit.

 

How did he even know which dorm room belonged to her?

 

“Can I help you?” She said after he didn’t provide any indication that her heard her initial statement.

 

He put up a hand, almost as if to silence her or place it on the doorframe, but he let it drop. Shaking his head to wake himself up, he slowly asked, “Do we have class tomorrow?”

 

Rey first met Ben Solo in Intro to American Politics. It was a basic-level class to complete a General Education requirement, even if she was a Mechanical Engineering major. When he let her share his textbook on the first day, she thought she could become acquainted to him.

 

Until he opened his mouth.

 

Ben Solo is the most insufferable man she has ever met.

 

It seems that his major is Political Science, so he knows the lessons like the back of his hand. He isn’t afraid to argue with students or the professor, and his aura of smug satisfaction made Rey dislike him by the day. It resulted in many disagreements between them, and even though Rey doesn’t know the first thing about the political system, she’s adept at getting a point across.

 

Unfortunately, his arrogant and patronizing way of speaking doesn’t defer from his looks.

 

Yes, he is attractive, Rey can be the first to admit. However, his irritating nature always seems to overshadow his physical qualities.

 

She answered, “Our class finished last semester,” with an eyebrow raised.

 

Ben was much too drunk for this conversation, and Rey still didn’t know the reason for this unexpected visit. Whatever he originally came here for, it was probably gone in the drunken haze.

 

Nonetheless, she tried to pull the answer out of him anyway, “What are you doing here?” She changed the subject, hyper-aware of her lack of clothing and the time they’ve spent standing outside of her door.

 

He smiled in a way that made the corners of his eyes crinkle. “I wanted to see you.”

 

Her ex-classmate is also a notorious flirt. Never to her, of course. They only exchange heated arguments and scathing glares.

 

A line appeared between Rey’s brows, and her mouth set in a hard line, “If that’s all then, I’d like to go back to sleep now.”

 

Right as she was about to the close the door completely, she was met with some heavy resistance.

 

“Ben, I’m serious-”

 

It took her a few seconds to notice that the man in front of her room wasn’t trying to halt the closure. Taking a quick peak outside, Rey realized that he  _ passed out  _ against her door.

 

Now she was really at a loss. Her arms started to tire out quickly from holding the door closed, but she knew if she closed it then Ben would probably collapse in the hallway outside. However, if she opened it to help, then he would fall on  _ her. _

 

Rey did not want to deal with taking care of her mortal enemy, but she only had a few seconds left of carrying his entire bodyweight to make a decision.

 

She just hoped that the decision she came to would have been reciprocated if it was her instead.

 

Bracing herself, Rey opened the door the rest of the way and quickly maneuvered herself to catch Ben’s torso. She let out a puff of air as his face fell to her neck and his arms draped around her shoulders. Dragging him in, she pulled him with all of her might to her twin-sized bed. He was spread awkwardly on it, and his legs dangled off of the end of the mattress, but this was the best way she could place him the recovery position. After shutting the door, the room was shrouded in darkness.

 

Now that Ben occupied her bed, she didn’t have a place to sleep for the next four hours. Even if she did, she doubted that she could sleep with how aware she was of Ben’s presence in her room.

 

In her bed.

 

Rey’s face started to heat up, so she turned away from him and silently padded to the bathroom. She came back to the foot of her bed with a damp cloth before her mind caught up with her actions.

 

Was she really going to do this? Help the man that infuriated her to no extent and randomly showed up drunk to her door? She stared at him and rubbed her forehead with her free hand.

 

Then, Ben started to shift around and broke out in a cold sweat. Guess he made up her mind for her.

 

Suddenly timid, the girl sat on the edge and moved a few raven-haired strands away from his face. Although he wasn’t moving around anymore, he was still sweating. With a gentle touch, Rey started to dab his forehead with the cloth. She did this for a few minutes until she was satisfied with her work and his breathing evened out again.

 

Remembering that she borrowed one of Finn’s old tees after a dude spilled beer on her at a concert, she retrieved the item from her closet and placed it on her bedside table. Next to it, she included a couple of painkillers and a glass of water in case he woke up after she went to class.

 

Because she only had a few hours left until then, she decided to sit at her desk and get some studying in. Yet as soon as she turned on the desk lamp and opened the pages of her textbook, her vision started to blur. The feeling of her cheek against the book was the last thing that was processed before exhaustion hit her.

 

* * * * *

 

When Rey woke up her alarm, she noticed that she developed a crick in her neck and the man that previously preoccupied the bed was gone, along with the painkillers and shirt. It was almost as if he was never there, except for faint traces of his smell and that of alcohol.

 

Just as she started to get dressed and ready for the day while ignoring the twinge in her chest, Rey’s phone buzzed from its charging spot on the floor.

 

She frowned when she read the name on the screen, one she did not recognize, but it slowly transformed into a small smile when it registered that he must have put his information into her phone before he left. A blush stained Rey’s cheeks after rereading the message three times over:

 

**From: The Biggest Drunken Idiot in All Existence** **  
**  


**Thanks for taking care of me last night, and I’m sorry for knocking out like that. I’ll make it up to you Princess, I promise.**


End file.
